Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks again to WriterMerrin and luvsev for their diligent work. I hope you will enjoy this chapter! Please review!

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Hermione gripped her wand tightly as she descended the spiral stairs that led to the dungeons. Her breathing was irregular, and she felt that old feeling of adrenaline and nervousness that she had felt the day Snape's father had attacked her. However, this time she was prepared to fight if necessary. She reached the long corridor that led towards the Slytherin common room. Soon, she came face to face with some of the cretins that had assaulted Mary.

"Well, well! Lookie here! It's one of the Gryffindor Mudbloods!" one of them sneered.

They certainly looked sure of themselves. They came to bar her way, and Hermione stopped.

"Rosier, isn't it?" Hermione asked haughtily.

"How dare you address me! What are you doing here? Wanna taste of what your friend got today?" he sneered.

The other two boys laughed. Hermione saw them reach for their wands. She was faster though.

"LACARNE INFLAMARE!" she screamed, and Rosier's robes burst into flames. The boys were shrieking and casting Augmenti spells to douse the flames. Hermione kept walking. She listened for any retaliation from behind her. Finally, she reached the Slytherin common room door.

Of course, the witch on the entranceway would not let her pass. Not only did Hermione not know the password, she wasn't a Slytherin. Non-Slytherins were not allowed to enter the common room. No matter! Hermione thought carelessly. I'll just hex every single one until I get the lot of them out here...especially Severus Snape!

No sooner had she finished thinking out her plan than three angry Slytherins came marching around the corner. Hermione was ready for them. She wasn't going to take any chances with any clever spells!

"REDUCTO!" she bellowed.

The three of them flew backwards in an explosion of sound and broken masonry. That got the attention of everyone in the dungeons. Hermione slipped back into the darkness as they came out of the common room one right after the other. Hermione saw Snape and then Professor Slughorn, Head of Slytherin house. Avery was telling Slughorn something, and the portly wizard obeyed him. Hermione watched in shock as Slughorn ambled his way back to his rooms. She slowly came out from the darkness, brandishing her wand, ready to duel. Avery was the ringleader. He was older and, in Hermione's estimation, more levelheaded than his friends. However, he was still vicious and ruthless. She would have to be very careful with him.

The other boys were furious and ready to hex her into oblivion when Avery and Snape alike silently raised their hands, motioning the others to lower their wands.

Avery studied her while the rest of the Slytherins watched him. Hermione knew no one was going to move unless he did. That was good for Hermione. Finally, he addressed her.

"All right then, Mudblood. You have our full attention." He kept his eyes on her as he said, "Regulus, Nott, please wake up our friends."

The two boys snapped to attention, and Hermione noted that Avery must be very powerful and influential to get those boys to obey him so readily. She had to think fast.

"I have tried to come peacefully. However, I was put upon and had to resort to defending myself with violence," she said coolly.

Avery glanced at the three boys who were awake and sitting meekly on the ground. Avery turned his gaze back to Hermione and kept his tone smooth and diplomatic.

"I see," he replied. "Well, you did what you had to do to protect yourself. You shouldn't be punished for besting anyone in a duel. Even if you are a Mudblood," he said cordially.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and kept her composure. He was testing her resolve. Very well, she would play his pissing contest!

"What message do you have for Slytherin House, Gryffindor?" he asked curiously.

When Hermione did not reply fast enough, he said pointedly, "You do have a message, do you not? I mean, after all, you did go through so much to come down here," he deduced.

Hermione stood straight and tall as she faced him. "Yes, I do. I wanted you to know that I recognize you as being the leader of these wizards. Since I recognize your position, I wanted to let you know that earlier today these...people..." she said nastily as she glanced at the cowering boys on the floor, "assaulted Mary MacDonald. She came to Gryffindor tower with a black eye and told me she had been placed under a sort of compulsion curse in order to perform a sexual act upon one of your own."

Avery took in a sharp breath. "Who was the person accused of casting this curse?" he said with controlled anger.

"Mulciber was the one who struck her. However, she could not distinguish if it had been Mulciber or Rosier who cast the curse," Hermione said evenly.

"What else do you have to say, Gryffindor?" he said briskly.

Hermione noted he was refraining from addressing her as "Mudblood." Obviously, she had made an impression. She decided to return the same courtesy.

"I come in a spirit of respect and fair play." At this, some Slytherins sniggered. Avery raised a hand to silence them. Hermione continued. "Mary MacDonald is a weak witch. Her magic is not as powerful as most. Until today, she has been under no one's protection. Unlike other Muggle-borns who are under the protection of more powerful witches and wizards, Mary has been largely ignored due to her retiring and humble nature.

"You may have noticed that I do not accept protection from anyone. I am more than capable of handling my own troubles. However, I have standards. I do not seek to set upon more than one witch or wizard at a time. Tonight I was forced to take drastic measures that normally I would never attempt. As you can see, I am more than capable of handling multiple assailants if the need arises. But I have not come to brag about my abilities. Rather, I have come to warn you, Avery, that since your friends have decided to play dirty, it shall be returned to them in double portions. Mary MacDonald is under my protection now, and if she is harmed again in any way, the perpetrator shall have to answer to me. I wish I could say that I would fight fairly, but I know that would go against your Slytherin traditions. So, I shall give back measure for measure. You have now been warned," she said imperiously.

Avery had a slight smile on his face as he remained silent. At last, he bellowed, "All you lot get back into the common room, and take these berks with you!" He turned to face Hermione and sheathed his wand. Hermione was wary of his move.

"Please," he said silkily. "You have proven yourself more than just a mere Mudblood. Your actions warrant respect. I would not dream of hexing you unless you were in full awareness of it. However, we have no quarrel, you and I. I am sure we can come to some sort of agreement," he said smoothly.

"Fine," Hermione replied. "However, I wish for Severus Snape to be a witness. Also, I have words for him."

"Very well," he said. "Please, sit here."

Hermione watched as he conjured up a plush seat for her to sit upon next to the common room door. She sat as he went inside briefly and returned with Snape. The three of them sat down in order to lay out the terms of the agreement, and Hermione began to speak.

"Mary MacDonald is off limits," she said simply. "She has been traumatized and for no better reason than because she could be easy prey. If it is not respected, I promise the retaliation will brought back to you in spades."

"All right," Avery conceded. "I shall speak with my Slytherins. Now, it is my turn. Hermione, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes, Hermione Granger."

"Ah, Hermione. Is it true that you are an orphan?" he asked pointedly.

"What are you on about?" she asked suspiciously.

Avery clasped his hands together. "Come now, Hermione, we were doing so well! I am only curious to know about your heritage, your background. Severus has told me you are an extremely powerful witch."

Hermione remained silent.

Avery smirked. "Of course, it would be the height of bad manners for you to admit it." He studied her face and said, "I hear you are an orphan, that you have absolutely no idea concerning your blood status."

"You have done your research well," she said non-commitally.

Avery smiled maliciously. "I have a feeling you should have been in Slytherin, Hermione," he mused.

"That's interesting," replied Hermione. "The Sorting Hat had quite a time with me. It was torn between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but then it made a strange observation about what it called my 'Slytherin tendencies.'"

"Oh, really?" Avery said with unadulterated fascination. "What might those tendencies be?" he asked.

Hermione smirked. "Oh, I have a bit of larceny in my blood. I have no issue with bending the rules if it's for a good cause."

"How utterly boring!" Avery said dispassionately.

"Not if you count yourself as being a good cause," she replied quickly.

Avery laughed. "I do like you, Miss Granger. I shall call you Miss Granger. You have my word that the Mudblood MacDonald will be left alone from this day until her graduation. After that, I cannot give you any more guarantees," he said regretfully, for which Hermione strongly doubted the sincerity.

"Agreed," she said. "I shall endeavor to make sure Mary receives nothing but the best in defensive training. I am, after all, about fair play."

She stared at him fiercely and then said, "I require a moment with Snape, if you don't mind."

Avery stood, and Hermione and Snape followed suit. "That's quite all right if it is with you, Severus. Good evening, Miss Granger," he said with a curt bow.

After he had left, Snape turned and glowered at her. "You are either the maddest or bravest witch I have ever seen!" he said angrily. "What the hell was all that about?"

Hermione stepped closer to his face. "I want to know what the hell you were doing in the library letting those animals humiliate Mary!" she hissed.

He glanced around him nervously. "I did what I could. You don't understand. I can only do so much!" he whispered.

Hermione shook her head. "I just don't know, Snape. This is going to get back to Lily...you know that!"

"I know," he replied. "It's all I can do to protect her. I think that is the only thing Potter and his lot have in common with me: keeping Lily safe."

Hermione smirked. "And the irony of it all is that they think she needs saving from you," she said.

"Well, I guess after today, Potter will have more to poison Lily's mind against me," he said bitterly.

"I can't deny that," she replied. "I wish it were not so. However, you are doing a very good job of helping Potter with his cause," she said wryly.

"You can't possibly understand, Granger!" he snapped.

"Oh, can't I?" she sneered. "I know what it's like to be put upon. I know what it's like to be rejected not only by people in other houses, but also by those in my own! You could be true to yourself, reject their creeds, pure-blood mania, and join me!"

"I would be slaughtered in my sleep, Granger, and then where would Lily be? I have to do this for her!" he said desperately.

"You really are up the creek, aren't you?" Hermione said shocked at the realization.

Snape snorted. "That would be an understatement. I am not my own person, Granger...haven't been for years. The day Lily came into my life, it all became about her. I love her," he said simply.

"Snape, you are a fish, and she's a bird. Where will you live?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he said as he walked away.

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LACARNE INFLAMARE - a spell used by Hermione to set Snape's robes on fire in SS. It is not used in the book but in the movie. I decided to use it here since I knew Hermione knew how to cast such a powerful and impressive disarming spell.